Gallowglass: the Irish Landsknecht?

[JeanryChandler]

Ran across this 1521 woodcut of Irish Mercenaries while doing some research.

http://www.cisl.ie/mars/rory/gallowglass.jpg

I found the fellows in this picture very evocative, I could almost hear the brogue. Something about that bangs-heavy haircut also reminded me of the crazy 'warpath' feeling of having a funny haircut when I was punk. The Weapons were also fascinating, there was one type I couldn't identify, the forward swept short sword held by one of the barefoot guys in the back of the group. Vicious looking weapon, as are their halberds (?)

This website explains a bit about the Galloglass, apparently they were Irish mercenaries who had fought with Swiss Merc companies and / or German Landsknechts, and then returned to Ireland where they became specialists with the 'true' two-hand sword, and apparently invented their own sub-variety with the typical Irish exposed ricasso within the circle...

http://www.cisl.ie/mars/rory/gallowglass.htm

I thought y'all would appreciate this here.

JR

[JeanryChandler]

Here's another, better site on Galloglass. I have to correct myself, apparently the original Galloglass were Gaelic / norse descendents of Norse mercenaries. Fascinating bit of history. Robert the Bruce apparently relied on these guys a lot, and the axe which someone else here mentioned him being an expert at, apparently was a special galloglass weapon.

http://hometown.aol.com/macaliste2/gallogla.html

This site here is the family history of a Scotch family of galloglass.

http://www.mcsheehy.com/history.htm

[Jared L. Cass]

Yep, that's a great picture! I had it as my desktop wallpaper a while back.

What makes it even better (other than depicting Irish warriors <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> ) is that it's a work done by none other than Albrecht Durer! And we all know about his ties to the period fight schools. Not only was he a great/famous artist, he also know his way around a sword, dagger, and wreastling...what a guy <img src="/forum/images/icons/cool.gif" alt="" /> So, I'd be willing to bet that the sketch would also be a very accurate depection of weapons, ethnic warriors, ect.

Thanks for posting that!

-Jared-

[JeanryChandler]

I had no idea that was a Durer! I should have recognized the superb style and level of accuracy. I think you are right about the level of detail on the weapons, notice for example the open circle / tang of one of the dopplehand swords, that is the traditional way that irish swords were made. Thanks for the FYI.
JR
JR

[ChrisThies]

More Gallowglass reading found at the following page:

http://www.kintyremag.co.uk/1998/16/page10.html

Excerpt from this article:
"The English Deputy St. Leger, in a dispatch to Henry VIII of 1543, describes them as 'harnessed in mayle and bassinettes, having everyone his weapon called a sparre, muche like the Axe of the Tower...and three darts apiece, which dartes they throw or (before) they Come to handstripe. These sort of men be those that do not lightly abandon the fielde, but byde the brunt to the death.'"